Remember My Promise?
by Chimera-Girl-Okami-12
Summary: Shiori can't recall her past, and wants to find out why. But with the death of her parents, she can't exactly go on an adventure. So instead, she sends her friend, Nyoko, to the place in the picture. As with Shiori, Nyoko can't remember much either, and this town actually has answers. She just wished Suga was nicer... And the Kotori didn't want to kill her because of some promise.


A low, soft breath escaped my lungs from my exhaustion and... A bit of boredom. The only 'entertainment' came from me messing with a bracelet. Something I kept with me no matter what.. For… some reason I can't remember. It was important to me, I knew that.

My eyes stayed plastered to the window of the train, watching the world pass by my vision. Grass and trees. Mountains and lakes. Rivers and streams. It was an hour between each town. And my destination was about three or four towns away from where I lived.

And then there was the crossing to a new train each time...

Well... It was beautiful to watch at least. Even if I was bored with it, it was relaxing.

I took my gaze away from the blurring landscape and checked my ticket.

Another thirty or forty minutes.

Another sigh escaped me.

"Shiori... Why did you need me to come out so far?" I murmured softly.

Summer vacation and I was off to God knows where looking for details about someone else's life. I didn't even know my own! I needed to figure out why I couldn't remember anything before I turned ten... At least, I wanted to...

My head rested itself against the glass and I pulled my legs up onto my seat, a couple adjustments here and there to get comfortable. A nap sounded nice for a few minutes.

 **My child. Come back my dear, sweet child.**

I awoke to the sound of the train wheels squeaking to a stop and sat up.I stretched my arms above my head, taking a moment to brush back short auburn hair from my face and pressing the glasses closer to my eyes.

Blinking awake slightly, I saw that within the time it took for me to take a 'short' nap, the sky was beginning to darken and i was at the station already.

I didn't even waste more than a few seconds to register I was at my stop before I was up and grabbing my bag.

I stepped off the train, taking in a breath. It actually kinda smelled nice here. Very..

Very clean.

I opened a slip of paper and looked around some.

"I think I'm here." I scratched at the back of my head.

I pushed my glasses up some and looked back at the paper. There was a photo with it. Looked like Shiori with her mom, dad, and I guess her grandfather? And they all stood in front of a house. Or... Rather a mansion.

I guessed she wanted me to find out things there. And to get there I need to get to the town. I just stopped at the station nearby.

A bus stop by the train station said that said bus would arrive in some time and seemed to be able to take me there.

I walked to the bench, sat down, and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And... Waited...

I leaned back some. I know I was impatient sometimes, but there wasn't a reason for a bus to be late. Especially late enough for it to become so dark the street lights came on when it said it would only be a few minutes.

Which was maybe an hour ago. Why was I even waiting this long?

In the middle of my thoughts, I didn't take notice to a man approaching me from his car, not till he cleared his throat.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" I heard.

I jumped slightly, snapping my attention to the voice. "A-ah?"

He came into view a few moments afterwards.

He was a very friendly looking policeman. He looked pretty young, almost mid-to-late twenties? Not as young as me, but young enough.

"Oh.. Ahm... Hello." I greeted him, looking him over some.

He was tall, I could easily see that. He wasn't neat, it looked like. His uniform was slightly out of order, but only to the extent he didn't seem intimidating. Easily, I saw he was stressed by something.

What could

"Hello. What are you doing here, if I may ask?" He questioned, staying where he was.

"Oh... Waiting for the bus."

"You're trying to go to Azakawa Village?"

I nodded slightly, "Yeah. My friend wanted me to find some things out for her." I told him, before remembering the picture.

"Ah! Do you know where this is?" I asked, showing him the photo.

He walked closer, peering at the photo I showed.

"That's the museum." He replied, taking a small step back, "In the past, apparently, it was quite the splendid mansion."

I was a little surprised, looking at the photo myself, "Is it really?" I murmured.

Shiori... Why did you send me to a museum?

"It's pretty late, but I think the manager may still be there. I can take you there if you want. The buses were shut down because of the lack of tourists around here." He smiled.

I looked up to him, contemplating it.

I should have just gone home to tell Shiori there wasn't anything to find out anymore because of the museum, but something was now pulling me to go there. My subconscious was telling me it was important.

I nodded slowly, "Ah... Yeah... If that would be okay. I'm Nyoko." I introduced, smiling some to him.

He began leading me back to his car, which I figured out was a patrol car as soon as I paid attention to it.

"My name's Mochizuki." He opened the passenger door for me and let me into his car, before getting into the driver's side, turned on the car and started driving off.

"It's really not to far up this road." He said after a few quiet seconds.

I didn't pay much attention, though. I kept my eyes on the photo, looking at the photo Shiori gave me. It seemed... off. Like there was something missing.

"We're already here?" I asked, looking up. Upon seeing the building, my breath hitched in my throat for a moment before I got the air bubble back and got out of the car.

Mochizuki nodded, getting out as well. He followed me to the entrance and checked his watch, "It's past closing time, but I'm pretty sure the Manager is still inside, if you want to try talking to him." He informed me.

"Just... Keep in mind he's very stern and quiet. And please don't anger him. We get enough calls about another girl breaking in."

I looked back at him, a little surprised, but nodded, "Right. Alright. Thanks, sir." I bowed a little bit, before heading to the door and slowly opening it.

"Hello?" I called inside. I couldn't see much of anything, but I couldn't back out now seeing as Mochizuki left just then.

I calmed myself and took a step inside, letting the door close behind me. "It's pretty dark in here…" I murmured, "Maybe he's already gone…. I should go…"

With that thought, I went to turn around to leave, but something stopped me.

A familiar aura came about and I turned back around. I hesitated before sniffing the air slightly, "I know that smell…." That smell wasn't gone and I took some steps inside. Why was it so familiar to me?

"Is anyone still here? Hello?" I called out again.

My feet moved on their own around some, stumbling over some objects for some time. I fully tripped over something that reached to my hips and gave out a little squeal as I hit the floor. "Ow…" I whimpered, pushing myself back up. I felt around for something, eventually finding what I assumed to be a wall, using it to help get me back onto my feet.

I kept moving forward, not sure what I tripped over as my eyes hadn't adjusted to the darkness, and all I could make out was some faint outlines of objects around me.

I kept walking a bit, soon finding what i believed to be a hall. I took a moment before beginning to walk along it, being careful and slow. For a couple seconds there was nothing and i was about to give up when i saw something faintly glimmer in some moonlight that filtered inside. at the I hoped it was something useful, but upon picking it up, I found it was just... a key...

I heard something scurry past behind me and I froze up. What... was that? I was slow turning around, but nothing was there... Must have been a mouse or something like that..

I decided to hurry and find a light switch instead of aimlessly looking around for what i couldn't see.

Though I was nervous to go back towards the entrance, I had to. I highly doubted there would be a switch around where I was at, so I quickly stood and silently made my way back, feeling the walls some, but I couldn't find anything.

I found something to lean against and did just that, trying to get my head on straight. What was I even doing here? This was breaking and entering... If the manager was here, he would more than likely call the police on me...

I softly moved my foot against the thing i leaned against in thought, but as soon as i heard a soft creak, I looked down, finding a small crack, meaning it could open. As soon as I found the way to open it, my hopes were dashed away once i found it was locked up... It needed a key.

It didn't take much for me to realize what I had found may help with this problem.

"Now wouldn't it be wonderful if this key fit in here…" I murmured, trying anyways and finding I was right. And inside there was a lantern!

I hurried to get out my lighter and lit the lamp, it still working rather well. And I could now see.

I stood up and let out a relieved breath, not seeing anything around me at all. Not anything scary at least.

I internally berated myself for thinking something would be there and began walking around again. With some exploring of the first floor, I found a bathroom, a kitchen (With something burnt completely black just laying around) and a locked door coming off the kitchen and one to the right of where I entered.

After a short while of nothing, I decided upstairs might help. But as with the bottom floor, these were all locked, and almost the same with the third floor. Only the second to last door was unlocked.

Inside was a sort of study-like room. But at the same time, it clearly wasn't. Inside the room was boxes strewn around everywhere, closed and looking to be covered in dust.

And as I looked around, because there _had_ to be something important, I found a picture book laying on the ground. I guessed someone must have dropped it before leaving earlier in the day, so I wanted to pick it up.

I felt a sort of nostalgic feeling wash over me as I did so.

I was reluctant, but I had to open the book and look inside. It looked so cute, like a little kid had drawn all the pictures with chalk or something along those lines, and then I began to read it.

 _ **Once upon a time,**_

 _ **There was quite a beautiful woman in the village,**_

 _ **However, the woman, with her beauty, made the men her captives and began doing 'evil' things.**_

 _ **Because of this, the village became quite desolate and the men, their wives, and their children all starved,**_

 _ **Finally, this beautiful, evil, woman was chased away by these people of the village into the mountains.**_

 _ **Perhaps because this woman wouldn't stop doing 'evil' things, she gradually changed in appearance and ended up becoming a monster. An**_ ' _ **Obake'**_ _ **.**_

 _ **The woman, now turned into a monster, became the**_ " _ **Kotori Obake"**_ _ **who would abduct children and send them to hell.**_

 _ **She abducted all children.**_

 _ **The men of the village, however much they tried to rid themselves of this creature, were all unable to win against the monster.**_

 _ **Then, one day, a rain started falling in the village.**_

 _ **A light rain, like a drizzle.**_

 _ **And for some unseen reason, the**_ _ **Kotori Obake**_ _ **, together with the rain, came down upon the village.**_

" _ **Where is my child?**_

 _ **Where is my child?**_

 _ **The children going into the forest are not enough.**_

 _ **Give me my child, give my child to me."**_

 _ **At that time, one villager headed to the**_ _ **Kotori Obake**_ _ **.**_

 _ **Strangely, the**_ _ **Kotori Obake**_ _**did not attempt to attack this villager.**_

 _ **And with that, this brave villager threw a blue shining stone at the**_ _ **Kotori Obake**_ _ **.**_

 _ **Upon hitting the**_ _ **Kotori Obake**_ _ **, it let out a loud shriek and returned to the forest.**_

 _ **Afterwards, the man who threw the strange rock made prayers that the**_ _ **Kotori Obake**_ _**would not come to the village and abduct children, and the**_ _ **Kotori Obake**_ _**did not descend upon the village ever again,**_

 _ **From then on, that villager became the one called**_ " _ **Ogami-san**_ " _**and since then protected the village from the forest's**_ _ **Kotori Obake**_ _ **.**_

 _ **Children were no longer allowed to enter the forest anymore, and the village completely regained its vitality.**_

I decided to leave the book where it was, setting it back down. That name was very familiar to me. But I highly doubted there would be such a thing as a 'Kotori Obake'. Maybe just some silly name that had spread around Japan.

I pushed the thought away and looked around some more, finding a bunch of children's books on shelves in the room. Which then put the story into a perspective and I understood it was probably told to teach children not to be wandering into the forest out back on their own. Which made sense. I probably heard something like that when I was younger..

There wasn't much besides a desk to look through. And seeing the drawer, I needed to investigate. Of course, nothing went smoothly all the time, and a rather large mouse almost literally flew out of the drawer at my face. And, predictably, I gave out a loud shriek.

The mouse seemed to freak out and ran away.

I breathed heavily and rubbed the side of my head "Great... This place has rodents..." I muttered.

I wasn't afraid of mice, but it freaked me out to be in this dark mansion turned museum alone and having it practically fly at me made me freak out.

"Great…" I murmured as I looked into the drawer, finding another key.

I picked it up, with it in mind that a rat was inside with it, so I quickly slipped it into my pocket and rubbed my hands off onto my dress.

I left the room, moving to figure out where the key I had just found could go to. I kept trying doors I passed, but found none of them fit. Soon enough, I headed backwards to the second floor and tried the first door I passed. Unlocking it rather easily with the key.

I was relieved to find it worked, walking inside. I didn't find too much besides a photo album that was left in one of the cabinets. I pulled it out and began looking through. If I was already pretty much breaking and entering, I may as well snoop around.

I was a criminal, so may as well dig deeper.

All the photos were old and most showed a man and someone who looked to be his child. Beside them were labels telling who they were.

"Keiichiro and… Kenji? Ah… Isn't that…"

I pulled out the photo Shiori gave to me and looked at the back, indeed, it was her father's name. And looking at them a little closer, I took notice that they did kinda look like one another.

"Alright.." I muttered, putting the album back, "I think that should be about it.. Snoop this room some more and then leave for the night."

In the next shelving unit, I found quite a few documents, similar to contracts concerning the museum had been put there. I picked one of them up and flicked through. It was all about who would be owning the property and such, and in the end, a name was written there.

I read some, looking at a particular part.

This Museum will be entirely entrusted to the manager. Furthermore, if there is no successor, the building shall be donated to the town for inheritance.

\- _**Kanzaki Keiichirou**_

"This name was in the album." I murmured, "Must have been Shiori's grandfather."

I placed the file back, finally deciding to leave before I'd get caught and possibly have the cops called on me. Before I could leave the room, something fell from the top of the cabinet, startling me some. I walked back to it and picked it up, trying to place it back, but I was to short to do so.

I let out a soft sigh, looking it over. It was a necklace with three pretty blue stones attached to it. They looked like the ones on my bracelet..

I looked at my bracelet and held my arm closer to the necklace, seeing similarities to the blue stone wrapped in wire on my bracelet to the three strung through on the necklace.

I hummed some in interest and put the necklace into my pocket, "I'll just put it on the front desk and ask about it tomorrow.." I murmured, leaving the room now. As soon as I walked down the small staircase, I heard what sounded like knocking or something moving across the floor around here.

I swallowed down some air and walked towards the noise some, looking around. I heard it coming from down the right hallway. I took a breath, deciding to come back to it once I set the necklace down.

I hurried down the steps and to the reception desk, putting the necklace down and jotting down a little note that it had fallen and I couldn't put it back and that I was sorry for touching it, incase I wasn't supposed to. And as soon as I left it, something slipped from the desk drawer.

Everything just seemed to be falling now..

I picked it up and looked at it, seeing it was a calender piece, a date circled. I wasn't to sure what it meant.

I shook my head and placed that back also, hesitantly heading back upstairs and to where the noise was coming from, finding a large door. The sound could only be coming from here.

"Ah… Hello?" I called.

A small, child-like, voice eventually replied after the noise stopped. "Who is it?" She asked.

"I'm Nyoko. I'm here to…. Um… How do I put this.. I'm here because I needed to find something out."

"So you aren't the manager?"

"No… Are you?"

"No.."

It was silent for a couple seconds before she spoke up again.

"Can you help me get out. I tried hiding in here and then the door was locked behind me."

I stuttered out a little "Wh-what should I do?"

"Find the key, duh!"

"But what about the police?" I asked.

"NO!" She almost shrieked, "Don't call the police! Please! I'll die if you do!"

I jumped slightly and nervously nodded some "Okay then."

I heard something drop to the floor next to me and looked over, spotting a little key next to the door. I picked it up, noticing a small hole it must have been pushed out of, looking back at the key.

"Use that and find this door's key, please!" She begged.

"Right." I nodded, hurrying to find the door this key would open.


End file.
